Holding onto my hat

Friday, August 14, 2015

In 2004, over 1000 volunteers worked to uncover Fort Tanjong Katong
in Katong Park and, in the process, recovered and fortified their community
ties.

A dry season in 2001 uncovered an outline of a bastion wall,
capturing the attention of Mountbatten resident, Jack Sim, who urged
authorities to investigate the site. In 2004, archaeologists were commissioned to
excavate the buried Fort. The initiative grew at a rapid pace and in space of
four weeks, $200,000 had been raised to fund the excavation.

Archaeologists and volunteers worked tirelessly to uncover a military
structure so intact that experts were quick to call it Singapore’s only ‘true
fort’. It was hailed as one of Singapore’s most important archaeological finds.

The uncovering of the Fort created an atmosphere of euphoria as more
than 1000 volunteers, ranging from students to working professionals, came
together to assist archaeologists. Lim Chen Sian, archaeologist and Head
Project Manager of the 2004 Fort Tanjong Katong excavation, marvelled the
project’s effect on the local community:

“It triggered something in
themselves and their environment [because] it’s more than just ‘My school
teacher told me this’ or ‘My textbook taught me that’. It became something
organic.” – Lim Chen Sian

The Fort stirred a fierce spirit within the residents of
Mountbatten. The discovery of history and the reappearance of a remnant of a
different era created a sense of ownership among the people. They united with a
new spirit – bersatu dengan semangat yang
baru – to uncover and perhaps even recover something they could call their
own. Something unique to their neighbourhood; a landmark they could be proud of.

The restoration of the Fort represented a similar re-building of a
spirit of community buried in the hearts of Mountbatten’s residents. As the Fort
was increasingly revealed, so were the ties of community. The Fort became an
important symbol of the neighbourhood’s identity, something not immediately
obvious, but clearly felt by the hundreds who volunteered in that period.

Unfortunately, efforts to uncover the Fort have run into obstacles over
the years as the government cited costs of excavation and maintenance, and
problems arising from the fact that the Fort extends into state land. It is a
shame that local government organizations like the People’s Association did not
push for initiatives like these to be completed. It is disappointing that
Mountbatten’s political leaders did not seize this momentous opportunity to
listen to its community and work with them to rediscover heritage and
strengthen communal ties. This is certainly a let-down for the community at
large. The Fort not only possesses a historical significance, but it also could
have also served as a symbol of pride and identity for Mountbatten residents
and for Singaporeans at large.

As the over a century-old Fort is reburied into the ground, the
atmosphere of community excitement surrounding it has also died down. The
hundreds of volunteers have since fragmented and moved on with their own lives
– perhaps wistfully holding on to the memory of a time when Mountbatten came
together uncover a piece of history they could claim as their own. In short, a
golden opportunity for community-building has been squandered.

But the short excavation gave us a glimpse of Mountbatten’s
potential. A fort is a defensive structure that allows a group of people to
defend and fight as a stronger unit. It
is designed to turn away foes and to strengthen a community of people. It
surrounds, it protects, and it inspires. It is a physical symbol of the courage
and resilience of a people, because it sends the message, “We are here; we are
in this together; and we are staying.”

But a fort does not need to be standing to draw a community
together. Its metaphorical walls also can remind people of their unity and
spirit.

In 2004, the Fort allowed a community to be greater than the sum of
its parts. The gathering of 1000 enthusiastic
volunteers shows that the community can be strong and vigorous when it is
united for a cause.

I believe that this is but a tantalising taste of what Mountbatten
as a community is capable of when it is able to come together. I only hope that
the community will be given another opportunity to rediscover its identity and
be proud of its heritage.

If elected, I would fight for the well-being of the Mountbatten community,
defend its heritage and champion its unity of spirit.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Singapore’s Golden Jubilee makes me feel unspeakably proud.
Since our improbable conception as an independent nation sited within an
unstable geopolitical environment, we’ve managed to vault into pole position in
the region, punching well above our weight both economically and
geopolitically.

With the pride comes a deep sense of awe and humility as I
use this landmark anniversary to reflect on the challenges that lie ahead for
Singapore in general, and Mountbatten in particular.

To my mind, it’s not enough to ask what we need to do to
maintain Singapore’s standing: we need to push ourselves to ask what it will
take for us to make Singapore an exceptional country.

To me, the answer to that question lies in our people and
our communities.

One of the greatest challenges we face as a nation moving
ahead will be to maintain and strengthen community bonds in the face of
increasing population pressures.

Nationally, increasing social mobility is critical to
keeping Singapore strong and cohesive. Our national philosophy of meritocracy
must continue being our guiding light, but we need to recognize that as each
succeeding generation of Singaporeans passes, our system of meritocracy confers
inherent advantages to those already ahead that the less economically well off
do not benefit from.

Locally, what makes Singapore strong is our sense of
community, reflected in our built environment and our common spaces. When we
speak of bringing back the “kampong spirit”, we must never lose sight of the
fact that for the “kampong spirit” to thrive, our “kampongs” need to be
preserved.

There is no better place to reflect on these challenges than
from the vantage point of Mountbatten.

Within the constituency, there’s a diverse range of people
from different socio-economic backgrounds: some of the wealthiest in our
country live in the landed estates in the constituency, while some of the
poorest live in rental housing estates.

Singapore’s challenge, in closing the mobility gap between
those who’ve made it and those who aspire to make it, is writ large in
Mountbatten. This is a challenge we need to confront, and a gap we need to
close.

Singapore’s challenge to preserve, promote and enhance our
national identity, is also Mountbatten’s. Mountbatten is a constituency with a
unique identity and a rich history.

Encompassing parts of Katong, Mountbatten has a distinctly
“Katong” spirit that’s hard to put your finger on but which you’d immediately
recognize if you chit chat with the elderly convent schooled aunties at Dakota
Crescent.

The built environment of Mountbatten is also unique: one of
Mountbatten’s most recognizable estates is the 17 blocks at Dakota Crescent,
with the iconic small tiled dove playground.

To keep our Mountbatten community strong, we need to
preserve, promote and enhance the built environment of Mountbatten, as well as
the local businesses that have taken root in the community and which sustain
it.

Mountbatten is a small constituency, but one with a distinct
identity. I believe Mountbatten, like Singapore, can punch above its weight if
we get our priorities right.

While celebrating how far we’ve come as a nation
economically and on the world stage, it’s important never to lose sight of the people
and communities that make up Singapore. Our people and our communities have
made Singapore strong, and I am committed to strengthening our people and our
communities because I believe that together, we can make Singapore exceptional.

Happy National Day. Majulah Singapura!

An exceptional view of an exceptional country. Happy Birthday Singapore!

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

In 1959, the people of Mountbatten voted in a female opposition candidate. She successfully campaigned for change on a nationwide level and the result was the passing of the landmark Women’s Charter in 1961. Mountbatten voted and Singapore evolved.

The odds were stacked heavily against Seow Peck Leng. She took part in the 1959 General Election as an opposition candidate and faced four other opponents, including a PAP candidate. She emerged victorious.

Her underdog status did not end after elections. When Seow Peck Leng entered parliament, she was an opposition MP facing an overwhelming PAP majority. Furthermore, she was the only female opposition MP in a male-dominated Legislative Assembly during her term. Undeterred, Seow Peck Leng embarked on a nation-changing cause for women and again emerged victorious.

Seow Peck Leng dared to dream big. She envisioned a Singapore where women and men stood on equal footing. A future in which polygamy was abolished and wages were paid equally. Mountbatten believed in her ambitious vision and voted to allow her to represent the community. In return, Seow Peck Leng gave Mountbatten a noble cause to fight for and a new identity.

Mountbatten hitched its fortunes to Seow Peck Leng and she became the spirit of the community - a fiery, passionate, noble leader representing her community on a national stage. Both Mountbatten and Seow Peck Leng became synonymous in the fight for gender equality across Singaporean society.

Seow Peck Leng was more than a mere politician and Mountbatten saw that in her. She tackled a large problem in society and dared to envision a better Singapore. Mountbatten endorsed her and in doing so, backed her vision. Mountbatten voted for Seow Peck Leng to the Legislative Assembly and Singapore experienced genuine legislative progress.

Despite being an opposition Assemblyman, she successfully reached across the aisle and worked with the PAP to achieve a goal of national importance. She reminded the PAP of their pledge in their manifesto, and worked with them on constructive legislation. She could have spent her term opposing the PAP; but instead, she worked with them, and together they produced ground-breaking legislation that took provided national leadership and took into account the needs of all Singaporeans.

Mountbatten’s people were passionate, and voted in a passionate social activist. They were ambitious, and voted in an ambitious leader. They were courageous, and voted in a courageous woman. A marriage of such a community and a strong leader had a tremendous impact on Singapore society.

I believe that the story of Seow Peck Leng shows what a leader of a relatively small SMC can do for people all over the nation when given the opportunity. Seow Peck Leng gave Mountbatten a glimpse of an alternative Singaporean narrative in which both genders were equal in and out of the workplace. When Mountbatten endorsed her and gave her the platform as a Member of Parliament, she immediately set out to achieve a nationwide goal. Her parliamentary term brought about the passing of the Women's Charter, which paved the way for ground-breaking change in Singapore.

Seow Peck Leng was an inaugural member of Singapore Women's Hall of Fame. As Singapore turns 50, it’s a good time for us to remember the contributions of a pioneer Singaporean and Honourable Member of Parliament for Mountbatten.

Seow Peck Leng has passed on, but her spirit remains in Mountbatten. She rose dauntless to meet the challenges of her day, vindicating her voters for having chosen her over others to be their voice in parliament. Today in Singapore, the tried and tested solutions are either becoming less and less effective, or not effective anymore. As we grapple with the many national issues which hog our conversations, we will do well to recall the trailblazing, feisty spirit of Seow Peck Leong. In those days, the people of Mountbatten boldly elected a bold lady, and the nation took a big step forward. Shall we repeat history?

Friday, July 10, 2015

Situated in Mountbatten SMC lies a cluster of unassuming old
buildings known as Dakota Crescent.

Named after the Douglas CD-3 Dakota aeroplanes that used to
land at Kallang Airport, Singapore's first civilian airport, Dakota Crescent was built in 1959 by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the predecessor of HDB.

For more than 50 years, Dakota Crescent has been providing homes to many
pioneer generation Singaporeans.

Local residents and commentators have noted the estate’s
highlights – ranging from its unique architecture, the iconic Dove Playground
to its ties to Singapore’s aviation history.

Today, Dakota Crescent is slated for redevelopment. The fate of the buildings which comprise the estate
is uncertain.

Certainly, Dakota Crescent must be conserved as a heritage for our
future generation. We should not let it
be demolished.

Dakota Crescent is a key rung in the ladder of Singapore’s evolving social housing and community-building efforts. It was an experiment in public housing by the Lim Yew Hock Government (in office from 1956 to 1959) to address a housing crisis. The estate is a physical reminder of a past struggle
by the government to elevate its citizens from slums and squatter settlements into affordable public
housing.

Knowing our past challenges and how we overcame them are keys to build nationhood, enrich our identity as Singaporeans and inspire our way ahead.

It is important to make the effort to conserve Dakota Crescent
because of its place in Singapore’s history of public housing and community
building efforts.

Conserve Dakota Crescent for the Community

Singapore’s conservation efforts have often been found wanting – the
Bukit Brown controversy is testament to that.

Even when buildings are conserved, public icons have ended up
becoming closed to the communities they once served. One prominent example is
the Fullerton Building, which used to house the General Post Office from 1928
to 1996. The landmark building was the main communications hub in those
days. Businessmen and ordinary folk frequented
its massive hall to mail out and pick up their letters. However, after being gazetted as a
conservation building in 1997, the Fullerton Building turned into 5-star luxury
hotel. Its purpose had turned from community
to commercial.

Redevelopment is often necessary
in Singapore but it would be a shame if after conservation, Dakota Crescent is reorganised into an up-market commercial
purpose or private space that excludes ordinary Singaporeans. Especially since Dakota Crescent was originally built
to serve the community.

The redeveloped estate must allow the
public access to walk around the estate and not be confined to view it from the
outside.

Future use of Dakota
Crescent

The possibilities for
redevelopment are many and they include arts/educational centres, and other
social spaces for community use.

Dakota Crescent is situated around
an MRT station, sports, recreational facilities, market and hawker centre,
which makes it a natural centre for community to congregate. The locality has
an established community of residents and amenity-suppliers who have been in
the area for five decades. A vibrant
community of retirees, working adults and children offers opportunities to
create symbiotic multi-functional facilities like childcare, elder care with
retirees looking out for the young ones.

A hybrid development plan could be
explored, allowing the developer the freedom to commercialise a certain portion
of the area, while binding the developer to ensure that a certain portion of
the area be allocated for community use. There could therefore be a win-win
compromise between commercial and community purposes.

Alternatively, an open competition
to encourage ideas for the redevelopment of the estate could be a creative way
to engage local voices and opinions. Singaporean architects, urban planners and
other bright minds could enter the competition to discover creative ways to
ensure that redevelopment does not compromise the preservation of history and
heritage.

The Old National Theatre, Van Cleef Aquarium, Old National Library
Building - they are gone. Let’s ensure
that Dakota Crescent remains, and not meet the same fate as those icons.

If the estate is to be redeveloped, then let it be in a way that
honours Dakota Crescent’s historical narrative of building the community.

About Me

Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss is a practising lawyer who earned her law degree in the United Kingdom. She also holds a Masters Degree in Corporate & Commercial Law from the London School of Economics & Political Science and was called to the English Bar in 1986.
Jeannette is happily married and a mother of four children.
She challenged the incumbent at Mountbatten SMC in Singapore's 2011 General Elections and garnered 41.38% of the votes cast.